Spiritual leaders see promise of interfaith cooperation in Pope Francis

March 14, 2013|By Peter Hall, Of The Morning Call

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio's election as pope signals that the Roman Catholic Church is renewing an effort to bridge gaps between its members and non-Catholics, leaders of other faiths said Wednesday.

Choosing a pope from Argentina, making him the first from the New World, shows the church has recognized that the center of mass among its own faithful and Christianity at large has shifted, Protestant leaders said.

"It may well be that they're looking for a bridge-builder," said Catherine Ziel, of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

Pope Francis' membership in the Jesuit Order, a historically free-thinking sect whose members eschew worldly comforts, might show recognition that inequality between the rich and poor of the world is a major problem the church must tackle.

"To choose an advocate for the poor signals something not just for Catholicism but global Christianity overall," said Tony Sundermeier, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Allentown.

Bergoglio's selection on the second day of the conclave of the College of Cardinals came as a surprise to many religious leaders in the Lehigh Valley. The cardinal of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio, 76, was chosen from among more than 100 possible candidates and was not regarded among the most likely.

Nagi Latefa, president of the Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, could not speak about Bergoglio specifically but expressed hope that he will continue the centuries-long interaction between the Catholic Church and the Muslim faith.

"We hope with the election of the new pope, Muslims and Catholics will focus on what the next hundred years will be," Latefa said. "We hope that Muslims and Catholics can work together to make the world a better place."

Others said Bergoglio's background as a church leader in Argentina gives them confidence that he will work to forge bonds with other faiths.

Seth Goren, an associate chaplain at Lehigh University, said he foresees Francis picking up Pope John Paul II's effort to develop a relationship with Judaism.

John Paul II, who died in 2005, was the first pope to visit a synagogue and was hailed for visiting the former Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where thousands of Jews were killed during the Holocaust.

Bergoglio was lauded for his compassion after a 1994 bombing that targeted two Argentine national Jewish organizations.

"Having someone who comes in with an understanding of Judaism and Jews and having someone who can bring that into an organization like the Catholic Church can benefit Jews and Judaism in a number of ways," Goren said.

Ken Briggs, a retired Lafayette College professor and former New York Times religion editor, said it's probably too soon to say how Francis will perform.

The selection of a cardinal from a Latin American country acknowledges the faith's growth in the southern hemisphere, he said. The Catholic Church has seen its faith expand in Africa as well, which made Cardinal of Ghana Peter Turkson a favored candidate.

But Latin America is largely dominated by the Catholic Church, with no strong influence from other faiths, Briggs said.

"It is hard to know without more information about how much he has been outside that Catholic circle," Briggs said. "I think that is for non-Catholics going to be a big issue."

Francis' stance on fundamental issues on which the Catholic Church has remained steadfast might also determine how his relationship with other faiths develops, Briggs said.

"Benedict caused lots of consternation in the non-Catholic world by seeming to aid and abet opposition to openness to women," Briggs said. "Whether this pope follows in the same line will have a lot to do with how well he will get along with the non-Catholic world."

He said Bergoglio's vow of poverty as a Jesuit might be taken by some in the liberal Protestant world as a sign the Catholic Church is set to focus on social justice.

Sundermeier, of First Presbyterian in Allentown, said he is enthused by Bergoglio's humility.

"As a Christian, Francis is someone that I can rally around and I would even use the word 'follow' because his core beliefs are cross-doctrinal," he said.